Powder applicator having a powderreceiving spout and a recessed outlet accommodating a toothbrush



Nov. 7, 1950 v. D. ELEY 2,529,004

POWDER APPLICATOR HAVING A POWDER-RECEIVING SPOUT AND A RECESSED OUTLET ACCOMMODATING A TOOTHBRUSH Filed Feb. 1, 1946 INVENTOR. V/EG/L D. ELEV.

ms A 1' roZA/E X Patented Nov. 7, 1950 POWDER APPLICATOR HAVING'A POWDER- RECEIVING SPOUT AND A RECESSED OUT-I LET ACCOMMODATING A TOOTHBRUSI-I Virgil D. Eley, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application February 1, 1946, Serial No. 644,751"

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a small unique applicator for powder and the like, and particularly a container that may be held in the palm of the hand for holding tooth powder, wherein the bristles of a tooth brush may be inserted through an opening therein for contacting and picking up the powder.

The usual containers for tooth powder are formed with an opening in the end or in the side adjacent the end and the powder is poured through this opening on to the brush and as the powder does not flow readily but rums out in uneven; jerky, impulses there is considerable waste.- .This invention contemplates a powder container into which a tooth brush is placed to contact and pick up the powder, instead of pouring the powder thereon.

The container is of sufiicient size to hold severalcharges of powder, wherein it may be used for; several days without refilling. It is, therefore, useful for week-end trips and the like. .The container of this invention is provided with a filling spout, that may be inserted in the dischargeopening of a tooth powder container, so that powder may be poured through the spout into the container. The container is also provided with a tooth brush opening and an internal cylinder, having an opening adapted to register with the spout for filling, at which time the tooth brush opening is closed and then adapted to be turned to close the spout and register with'the tooth brush opening when it is desired'to insert a tooth brush. The. internal cylinder is also adapted to be turned to close both openings when the deviceis not in use.

In containers of this type the contents may become damp and, if the powder is permitted to remain in the container for some time, it may cake in the corners and, for this reason, the container is readily opened for cleaning.

The purpose of this invention is to facilitate the application of tooth powder to a tooth brush by holding the powder in a substantially closed container in the palm of the hand and dipping' the toothbrush in the powder, whereby only the amount of powder required is taken up by the brush and Waste is eliminated.

To accomplish this end the container should have a filling opening and also an opening through which the powder maybe used, and as the opening of an inner cylinder or closure must beadapted to registerwith either opening, it is advisable to provide indicating means for locating the inner cylinder in the open and closed positions. The inner cylinder is, therefore, provided with a snap into recesses in the container to definitelyzindicate the closed position, and additional recesses may also be providedfor indicating the filling and using positions. I

The object of the invention'is to provide'a relatively small cylindricaljcontainer, having"an elongated opening of sufiic'ient' sizato 'accom modate the bristles of a-tooth'brush; which ma be filled or partly filled with tooth powder that may be picked up'by'a'brushinserted the opening, and whichis'provided with means for readily closing th op'ening'whenthe device is not in use. 5??? Another object is to provide a tooth' brush powder container into whicha tooth brush may be j inserted, which H may readily be open'ed for cleaning. 7 I

A further object; is to provide a tooth powder applicator by which powder 'may 'be' applied to a tooth brush by inserting the tooth brush'therei'n; which is provided "with means indicating "by feel from theexter'ior'of the device when the deviceis closed.

A sti11 further object er the inventionis 'to provide a smallg'u'nilque tooth'powder applicator which is ofa comparatively simple and-econ'om ical construction I With thse ends" in view,'the invention em"- bodies a powder container in the forin of 'a-sl'i ell; closed at one end, open at the other, having-"an elongated opening in one side, and afilling spoutk and an inner sh'ell als'o clos'd at one "end "and open at the other, and also providedwithf'an elongated opening adapted to register with the" elongated openingof" the""container and" also: adapted to register with the said filling spout.

For a full and more complete understanding ol the invention, referencelm'a'y behad to the folf lowing description and accompanying drawin wherein? Figure l is a perspective view showing the c" tainer.

Figure 2 illustrates the container with the elements separated, and with' partsjshownf elevation'and parts in secti'o'n."

Figure 3 is a view showing'thecontai ner separated and showing the elongated opening through which a 'tooth brush may bein's ert'ed.

Referring now to the drawings wherein'jlike reference characters denote corresponding parts,

a container Ill is' 'formed witha closure l [at one. end, a s out I2 at one side, and anlelongated opening l3 in the opposite-side. An inner shell 14, having a closure H5 at one end and an 'elonprojection adapted 1 to gated opening IS in one side, to correspond with the opening I3, is inserted in the open end of the container vll], providing a closure for the open end and also providing means for closing the spout l2 and opening l3 when the opening [6 is positioned betweenthe openings I2 and I3.

Figure 3 illustrates the relative positions of the openings and. it will be noted that with the shell 14 in the container I the opening I6 may register with the opening I3 and at this time the wall of the inner shell will cover and close the spout [2. The end [5 of the inner shell. is knurled and may readily be turned to such position. that the opening l6 will register with the spout l2 and with the inner shell in this position the wall thereof will close the opening [3. Powder may be'placed in the container with the innershellin thisposition by inserting the spout 12 in the opening at the end of a powder container and turninglthe powder container upside down or so that powder mayruntherefrom-throughthe spout into the container I 0. The inner'member I4 may then beturned 'to close the spout opening and, with the opening l6'between thespoutlZ and the opening 13, wherein it will not register with either, the container will be closed.

The'open or inner end'of the shell l4 may be provided with projections I! that may snap into recesses [8 in the innersurface of the container l0 'to indicate the difierent'positions, such as filling, using'and closing of one element in relation to the-other. These projections also provide-holding means for holding the inner shell in the container. The walls of the inner shell may be tapered slightly to facilitate inserting the open end in the container, theprojections l1 'necessarily'causing slight compression or contraction of the open end until they snap into the recesses l8.

The end [5 of the inner shell may also be provided with anotch l9 to register with indicating meansonnthe'surface of the container I D, such as'a line with the word close for indicating the closed position, or the notch may be turned to register with'a line:2l to indicate the position for "use wherein a tooth brush may be inserted through the opening, and other lines such as a line; or mark with the word fill'may also be provided for indicating the position of the inner shell when the spout is open.

The. construction of the device will be readily understood "from' the foregoing description. In use the containermaybe filled or partly filled withtooth powder, as described, and may ordinarily be keot in a cabinet in the bath room and used as desired or may be carried on week-end trips-so that'the necessity of taking the usual can-of tooth powder is obviated. The device, therefore, provides means of storing and using tooth powder wherein the powder may readily be applied to the brush without dumping powder thereon. I

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention ishereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearlyunderstoodthatthe invention is not to be limited to the exact construction illustrated and de cribed because various modifications of theses-details may be provided in putting the invention into practice withinthepurview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tooth powder applicator comprising a cylindricalcontainer wi h one end closed and the other open, said container havirg an elongated slot in one side adapted to receive the bristles of a tooth brush, a filling spout secured to said container and at a point removed from said slot, said spout having converging sides with a comparatively small outer end and adapted for inserting in an outlet opening of a tooth powder container, and an inner cylindrical shell slidable in said container, said shell having one end closed and the other end open and also having an elongated slot adapted to register with the elongated slot of the container and with the spout, said inner cylindrical shell being disposed in said container with its closed end at the open end of the container and its open end at the closed end of the container.

2. A tooth powder applicator comprising a cylindrical container with one end closed and the other open, said container having recesses formed in the peripher thereof and an elongated slot in one side .adapted to receive the bristles'of a tooth brush, a conical filling spout secured to said container and at a point removed from said slot, an inner cylindrical shell slidable in said container, said shell having one end closed and the other open and also havingan elongated slot adapted to register with the elongated slot of the container and with the spout, and projections on said inner shell, said projections being adapted to snap into said recesses in order to hold the inner shell to the container in a plurality of operative positions, said inner cylindrical shell being disposed in said'container'with itsclosed end at the'open-end of the container and its open end at the closed end of the container.

3. A tooth powder applicator comprising a cy lindrical container with one end closed and the other open, said container having recesses formed in the periphery thereof and an elongated slot in one side adapted to receive the bristles-of a tooth brush, a conical filling spout secured to said container and at a point removed from said slot, an inner cylindrical shell slidable in said container, said shell having one end closed and the other open and also having an elongated slot adapted to register with the elongated slot of the container and with the spout, and projections on said inner shell, said projections being adapted to snap into said recesses in order to hold the inner shell to the container in a plurality of operative positions, said inner shell having indicating means registering with said mark on the container designating the said operative positions, said inner cylindrical shell being disposed in said container with its closed end at the open end of the container and its open end at the closed end of the container.

VIRGIL D. ELEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Num er Name Date 153,308 Blood July 21, 1874 512.065 Spalding Jan. 2, 1894 1,272,951 Hicks July 16, 1918 1,278,841 Brano Sept. 1'7, 1918 1,560,013 Angeletti Nov. 3, 1925 1,744.260 Chappelle Jan. 21, 1930 1,765,622 Schoen June 24, 1930 2,008,319 Bruns et'al. July 16, 1935 2,328,246 Albion Aug. 31,1943 

